What is the gospel?

God: Who He is
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth… He himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth… that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward Him and find Him.” (Acts 17:24-27)

The Bible explains that God created us and sustains us and, therefore, has the right to absolute authority in our lives. Out of His love, He made us in His image so that we would seek to honor Him as the true Creator.

Man: His Problem
“The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” (Psalm 14:2). “There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:11,23). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

Instead of seeking God, man rebels against God’s authority and chooses to live his own way. The Bible says that failure to recognize God’s authority is sin. The penalty for our sin is death-not just physical death, for all men die-but eternal separation from God in hell. Man rightly deserves this judgment for failing to honor his Creator.

Christ: God’s Solution
“For while we were still helpless…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:6, 8-9).

God’s great love and mercy can extend a pardon to sinners. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for sinners and pay sin’s penalty. In His death, Jesus endured the punishment that sinners deserve and therefore satisfied the wrath of God, making it possible for sinners to be made right with Him and receive eternal life.

Us: Our Response
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). “God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30).

God commands you to repent from your rebellion and to trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation. You must admit that you are a sinner, believe that you are forgiven only through Jesus’ death on the cross, and commit your entire life to obey the risen Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

If this is your prayer: please contact a Christian who can guide you in your new relationship! We long to be available to you and seek to answer any question you may have!

Again, we want to help. Here are a few suggestions you might want to pursue:

• Begin reading the Bible for yourself. We suggest a modern translation* and start by reading one of the four Gospels in the New Testament section (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John). Luke is a good one to read if you’ve never read the Bible before. (* We suggest the New International Version (NIV) or the English Standard Version (ESV). You can even read the Bible online these days. Click here to start reading the Gospel of Luke on-line).
• Read – there are a number of very good, easy-to-read books written specifically to explain the Christian faith to people with little or no church background.
• There are a range of good books on a wide variety of questions. Here are just a few:
  
  What’s the difference between Christianity and the major religions of the world? How do I know which one is true – if any? If I were God, I’d make myself clearer; Jesus Among Other Gods; Only One Way?; Islam in our Backyard
  
  Why does God allow suffering in our world? What does the Bible say, and how does that compare with other religions? If I were God, I’d end all the pain ; Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
  
  How does Christianity relate to Science? Are they at odds? Has science disproved the need for faith, or that the Bible has errors? Limitations of Scientific Truth; Redeeming Science